THE birth of a child is a joyous occasion, bringing immense happiness to families. However, when a baby is born prematurely—before completing the full gestation period—parents often face significant emotional, medical, and workplace challenges.
In many public institutions, existing labour policies fail to adequately address the special needs of parents of premature babies, creating additional stress and hardships.
One of the major concerns in public workplaces is lack of designated facilities for parents of premature babies. Many offices do not provide breastfeeding areas, rest spaces, or designated locations for preparing breast milk.
Absence of these supportive infrastructures forces parents, particularly mothers, to juggle between work demands and their child’s medical needs, often without sufficient understanding or assistance from their employers.
Government interventions
Recognizing these challenges, Vice President Dr Philip Mpango announced on May 1st last year that maternity leave for mothers of premature babies should begin only after the special care period required for the baby’s health, as determined by medical assessments.
The VP stated that employees would be allowed to take up to six months of leave post-maternity leave to facilitate breastfeeding and infant care.
Dr Mpango emphasized that maternal and child health, particularly the well-being of premature babies, is a top priority for the sixth-phase government. As part of this commitment, new maternity leave provisions were introduced—84 days for mothers of single premature births and 100 days for mothers of multiple premature births
Premature babies require constant medical monitoring due to their fragile health, necessitating additional leave or workplace flexibility for parents.
However, many employers remain unaware of these needs, creating undue pressure on parents to meet work obligations while managing critical family responsibilities.
Need for workplace accommodations
To better support parents of premature babies, public institutions should establish designated breastfeeding and resting areas in workplaces, provide psychological support services for parents coping with the emotional stress of caring for a premature infant and strengthen labour laws to protect the rights of working parents of premature babies.
International guidelines
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO) provide crucial guidelines to safeguard maternal and child health, as well as workers' rights.
WHO underscores the importance of quality maternal and neonatal care, recommending specialized medical services for premature babies and supportive policies for their parents.
ILO’s Maternity Protection Convention (C183) of 2000 mandates a minimum of 14 weeks of maternity leave and job security for women post-childbirth.
While the convention does not explicitly address premature births, it serves as a foundation for governments to implement special provisions for such cases.
As a WHO and ILO member, Tanzania has begun implementing policies to safeguard the rights of parents of premature babies. The government has confirmed that:
The special care period required for a premature baby will not be deducted from maternity leave.
Investments have been made in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and advanced medical equipment, such as respiratory support machines, to improve the survival and care of premature infants.
Promoting education, public awareness
Every November 17, Tanzania joins other countries to observe World Prematurity Day, highlighting the importance of proper neonatal care and advocating for parents' rights.
Additionally, the National Integrated Programme for Early Childhood Development (PJT-MMMAM) seeks to provide comprehensive early childhood care, with a particular focus on premature infants.
The role of advocacy
Dorice Mollel, Director of the Dorice Mollel Foundation, advocates for the rights of parents of premature babies. She emphasizes the need for workplace support, extended parental leave and improved healthcare services.
“Parents of premature babies require special care and they deserve full support from both employers and society. It is crucial that workplaces provide flexibility, additional leave, and psychological assistance to help these parents balance work and family life,” said Mollel,urging public institutions and policymakers to improve labour policies to accommodate parents of premature babies, implement workplace support programmes, such as designated lactation areas and ensure that parents do not face discrimination for taking additional leave.
“At our foundation, we strongly believe that protecting workers' rights—especially those of women who give birth to premature babies—is essential for societal progress. We fully support all efforts aimed at improving policies and services for these parents,” she affirmed.
Lessons from other countries
Several countries have implemented progressive labour laws to protect parents of premature babies. Canada, the United Kingdom, and Sweden provide extended maternity leave for mothers of premature babies.
These countries mandate workplace accommodations for lactation and infant care. Their policies ensure that healthcare services for premature babies are widely accessible.
Ensuring the well-being of premature babies requires a multi-faceted approach involving policy reforms, workplace accommodations, and increased public awareness. Tanzania’s recent government initiatives mark a step in the right direction, but further efforts are needed to align with global best practices.
Employers and policymakers must collaborate to fully support working parents, ensuring that they have the necessary resources to care for their premature babies without jeopardizing their careers.
By strengthening labour laws, workplace environments, and healthcare infrastructure, Tanzania can create a more inclusive and compassionate society—one that prioritizes both family well-being and workforce productivity.
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